New Mercedes GLB spotted: boxy seven-seater coming soon
February 19, 2025 by Jamie Edkins
Car changing is a big deal
This is the new Mercedes GLB, an all-new version of the brand’s small seven-seater which will once again be available with both petrol and electric power.
- New Mercedes GLB spotted testing
- Seven-seat SUV retains boxy styling
- Petrol and electric versions coming
- Likely to use a 1.5-litre mild hybrid engine
- EV could get over 400 miles of range
- On sale in 2026
Mercedes is hard at work developing a range of new electric and hybrid cars for 2025, one of them being this – the new GLB. Carwow’s spy photographers have snapped this SUV out and about during development testing, and it looks as though the boxy proportions will remain.
You can expect to see a full reveal before the end of 2025, following the launch of the new CLA. Incidentally, the GLB will share a lot of parts under the skin with that car.
New Mercedes GLB design
The Mercedes GLB stands out from other SUVs thanks to its boxy, rugged appearance, and the new one will continue this theme.
This prototype is heavily camouflaged, however you can just about see the new headlights poking through the wrap. They’re likely to be similar in shape to the current car’s rectangular units, but expect to see the three-pointed star daytime running lights like the ones on the CLA concept.
The front bumper also looks slightly more rounded than the current car’s, but that doesn’t take away from the blocky side profile. Moving to the rear, this test car has some massive stickers to disguise the taillights, but they seem to be more upright than the horizontal ones you get on today’s GLB.
New Mercedes GLB engines and motors
When the Concept CLA was revealed last year, Mercedes said that the technology used in that car would also power two SUVs. This is one of them, the other is likely to be the new GLA – the GLB’s smaller counterpart.
What this means is the new GLB will be available with either hybrid or electric power. The former will almost certainly come courtesy of a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a 48-volt electrical system.
It’s a mild-hybrid setup, meaning there’s a small battery and a motor in the gearbox which helps boost efficiency. This is the least noticeable form of hybrid setup because there’s no transitioning between petrol and electric power, but it will most likely mean the GLB won’t be able to shuffle along in traffic without the engine like a self-charging hybrid can.
As for the electric version, it’ll use an all-new battery for Mercedes which is more energy-dense than existing ones thanks to some clever chemistry within the pack. It’ll be the same one used in the CLA, and that car is expected to do more than 460 miles on a charge. The heavier and less aerodynamic body of the GLB will likely dent this figure somewhat, but over 400 miles of range is still possible.
When can I buy the new Mercedes GLB?
The new Mercedes GLB will be revealed after the new CLA. That car is coming around the middle of 2025, so you can expect the GLB to debut at the end of the year with sales likely to start in 2026.
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